We’re delighted to have played a part in bringing together a new community garden in Basildon, which will provide a vital space for the work of Trust Links, an independent charity for mental health, wellbeing, and the environment in Essex.
This large space has been purposefully designed to support the delivery of Growing Together, Trust Link’s therapeutic gardening project. Growing Together provides a safe and inclusive space for adults to improve mental health and physical health through a range of beneficial gardening and social activities.
As such, the charity has worked hard to transform an unused plot into a functional, attractive garden boasting two log cabins, a potting shed, a pond, raised beds, a green roof gazebo and a wildlife area.
The team at Trust Links in Basildon were searching for a local business that would be willing to donate an electric cooker and dishwasher for use in the onsite kitchen – and we jumped at the chance to support such a life-changing local cause.
Our gifted appliances were installed by a third party. Halls Refrigeration provided an undercounter fridge and undercounter freezer to complete the setup, which will now be able to provide hot food to visitors for just £1 per meal. In these challenging times, having access to such an affordable facility will be a lifeline for many.
Barry Osborn has been in touch with Beckie Grout, Partnerships Manager at Trust Links, throughout the project. He attended the launch of the garden a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed catching up with Beckie and the team to inspect the new kitchen facilities and learn more about their upcoming programme.
Beckie said:
“A HUGE thank you again for supporting us with [the white goods], they will truly make a positive impact to our work. From helping feed our members a hot meal every Wednesday, storing milk for those vital cuppas, freezing our produce so it doesn’t go to waste and so much more!”
Growing Together member days take place every Wednesday between 9am and 4pm.
The Growing Together Basildon garden is just one of six sites managed by the charity throughout the county. Trust Links’ Growing Together project also supports communities from its therapeutic gardens in Westcliff, Shoeburyness, Rochford, Thundersley, and Cressing Temple. In addition, the charity offers a variety of support to adults, young people, and families in Essex through a range of projects, including recovery classes, social groups and more.
Visit the Trust Links website for more information and to find out how you can get involved either as a member or a volunteer.